:: Quality Welding Products, Inc ::

Pickling Products

Electrochemical

Specialty Products

Stainless Steel
Flux Coated Tig Wire

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Questions Most Asked About Pickling Products:
1. What is Pickling?	Removing surface oxides from metals by chemical or electrochemical reaction.
2. What is Passivation?	The changing of the chemically active surface of a metal to a less reactive state.
3. What is in ANTOX Pickling Paste/Spray?	Some of the most effective chemicals for pickling and promoting passivation for Stainless Steels and Nickels are Hydrofluoric Acid, Nitric Acid and some additives.
4. What will ANTOX Pickling Paste/Spray do?	Pickling with ANTOX Pickling Paste/Spray will remove the discolorations in the heat affected zone (HAZ), and on the weld, and through the interaction of the chemicals in the pickling paste will help to passivate. Help restore the chrome oxide back to the surface of the steel. It will help restore the corrosion resistance.
5. What are the precautions you should take when using Pickling Products?	Read the MSDS and Product Data Sheets for the product before using it. You must be well protected when using Pickling Paste/Spray. A. Wear Rubber Gloves B. Wear Rubber Boots C. Wear rubber chemically approved suit D. Wear Face Shield/Head Gear E. You must have proper ventialtion (especially in confined areas) F. Wear Respirator G. Never apply Pickling Products to a hot work-piece. It will create Nitric Fumes, the work-piece should be at least at ambient (room temperature), before applying the Pickling Product. *ANTOX 21E PLUS/ ANTOX 23E PLUS are two new paste and spray products developed that will emit up to 90% less nitric fumes than the traditional pickling products. H. Insure that the are you are pickling in is secure. There should be limited access to area when you are pickling. There should be a sign of some kind surrounding the area informing the other personnel, that tells them not to enter, as a HAZ process is taking place. I. Be prepared before starting your pickling operation, for collecting all residue generated from the pickling operation.
6. How can you dispose the Pickling Paste residue?	The residue generated from the pickling operation cannot be thrown into the drain. The Pickling Products will etch, which means it will take off some Chrome and Nickel. These are considered carcinogens. They cannot be put into the local water system, but must be collected and arrangements made with a local contractor to take out and be properly disposed of at contractors' facility. YOU MUST FOLLOW LOCAL/FEDERAL AUTHORITY DISPOSAL LAWS! In most cases there is a local contractor in your area, who you can contact. The contractor will want to look at the MSDS of the product. We supply a MSDS with every unit of product we sell. THE RESIDUE GENERATED BY THE PICKLING PROCESS CANNOT BE THROWN INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM.
7. How do you use Pickling Paste/Pickling Spray?	A. The paste must be stirred thoroughly. We recommend a wooden or plastic stick only. B. When stirring the paste, wear a face-shield, gloves, and place the container of paste on top of a plastic sheet in case of spill. C. The work-piece to be pickled must be cleaned/degreased before pickling. Pickling paste/spray are not degreasers. If the Stainless or Nickel is not cleaned, and the Pickling Paste/Spray are used, there is a good chance that you will not have the pickling effect wanted. D. When the work-piece is at ambient temperature, use our acid resistant brush, which we supply with all Pickling/paste kits, to apply the pickling paste on area you wish to pickle. E. The time that the pickling paste is to be left on the surface of the work piece depends on how heavy the oxide is, the grade of stainless stell/nickel you are pickling and the temperature you are pickling at. Tig Weld-Light Oxide 30-45 min. FCW/MIG-Heavy Oxide 60 min. We recommend that on the Moly-Bearing Grades such as 316L/317L, pickling paste should be left on for the maximum amount of time. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONDUCT YOUR OWN QUALIFICATION PROCEDURE. F. After the Pickling Paste has been on the work-piece for the determined amount of time, apply Antox neutralizing paste on top of the pickling paste. You will immediately see it bubble. As soon as it stops, you can wash the area with water/pressure water system. NOTE: The neutralizing paste will not enable you to dispose of the residue in to the local sewage system. The neutralizing paste will turn the pickling paste on the work-piece from acidic to alkaline, and it would then be safer for the operator to remove it. G. Use at a minimum, cold drinkable quality water to wash off the pickling residue. The optimum is to use DE-IONIZED WATER. Collect the residue from the pickling operation, and then call your local contractor to arrange disposal in accordance with all local/federal regulations. H. Re-seal pickling product container, and store in an ambient teperature room. If the storage temperature is too cold, it could increase the time for the Pickling product to work, or if it is too humid, it could give off nitric fumes, when apply the paste. In any case, it would be a good rule of thumb to let the pickling past sit for a while if it has been stored in too cold/humid of an area, before using it.
8. Will Pickling Paste work on a bright/mirror finish?	Our Antox Pickling Paste Products, 3D and 200IT will work on a bright/mirror finish. (READ OUR PRODUCT DATA SHEETS FOR MORE INFORMATION).
9. Are there ways of testing for Passivation?	YES. There are several tests, but one of the most common is the Copper-Sulphate test. After the paste procedure is completed, a few drops of copper-sulphate are put on the surface of the pickled area. After several minutes, if the area remains colorless, the passive layer has formed, if it turns a reddish color, it means that there is still free iron on the surface and the passive layer has not formed.
10. How much area will Pickling Paste cover?	EXAMPLE: Antox 71 E Plus A 1/2 gallon (2 kilo) Pickling Paste will cover approx. 6-800 linear feet, or approx. 90-120 sq. ft. The coverage will always depend on the individual applying the pickling paste. This is just an approximate estimate.
11. How are ANTOX Pickling Spray products applied?	1. A hand operated type pump that holds 5 kilos. It is a special acid resistant type pump that is made of three types of acid resistant plastics. A more economical type pump, mobile, and easy to use. 2. P-1 pump that runs with compressed air. A more expensive pump, but more economical for pickling large areas/units.
12. Are safety precautions the same for Pickling Paste and Spray?	One of the differences is that we do not supply a neutralizer with the spray, as we do with the pickling paste. Most customers will use high pressure water to wash off the pickling spray on the work piece when the pre-determined time has elapsed, capture the residue and then neutralize it. Then have an outside contractor come in to take it out.
13. If for some reason our pickling product is not giving you the results you wanted, check the following:	1. Did you clean/degrease the work-piece before pickling? 2. If using Pickling Paste, did you stir the paste? 3. Did you leave the Pickling Product on long enough? 4. Did you cover the entire area you needed to pickle? 5. Did you rinse off the pickling product with cold drinkable quality water? 6. Did you remove all of the pickling paste/neutralizer off of the work-piece? ANY OF THESE THINGS, IF NOT DONE, COULD AFFECT THE PICKLING PROCESS IN A NEGATIVE WAY.